Shillong, Dec. 24: The Assam Rifles today ordered a court of inquiry into the assault of a speech-impaired person by one of its jawans near the director-general’s office in Laitumkhrah on Monday night.

In a statement issued here, the public relations officer of Assam Rifles, A.K. Choudhry, said an “altercation” had taken place between the victim, Bhanu Ghosh, and an Assam Rifles jawan, Anand Singh, on Monday night. The jawan assaulted Ghosh, who suffered multiple fractures and brain haemorrhage.

Ghosh was admitted to the GNRC hospital, Guwahati, in a critical condition.

“The Assam Rifles headquarters here has ordered a court of inquiry into the incident. Strict disciplinary action will be initiated against the jawan, if found guilty, on completion of the inquiry,” Choudhry said.

He said local legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh had approached the Assam Rifles for financial help for Ghosh’s treatment as he came from an economically weak family.

“The Assam Rifles has consented to provide the assistance to the extent possible on humanitarian grounds, as the individual may not be able to afford complete medical treatment on his own,” the statement said.

According to police reports, the Assam Rifles was reluctant to hand over the accused to them for questioning after a case was registered against the jawan following an FIR filed by the victim’s brother, Biswajit Ghosh. The report said the Assam Rifles also did not cooperate with Biswajit when he went to file a complaint with them.

It was only after Lyngdoh’s intervention that a meeting was held last evening between the relatives of the victim and Assam Rifles personnel, including the accused. Lyngdoh said the Assam Rifles had apologised for the “mistake”.